


Charmed 205: Calling A Lost Witch, Part Two

by Metal_Ox137



Series: Charmed AU2 [5]
Category: Charmed (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2016-02-16
Packaged: 2018-05-20 23:44:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6030211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Metal_Ox137/pseuds/Metal_Ox137
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prue and Piper begin a desperate search to find Paige Matthews before a demon can kill her and steal her powers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Charmed 205: Calling A Lost Witch, Part Two

It was a late Sunday afternoon in March, and even though the sun hadn't set, the temperatures were falling fast; the clear, sunny day was rapidly giving way to a frigid night. Prue Halliwell sat on the sofa in the living room of Andy Trudeau's modest apartment, trying to make herself comfortable. For several months now - what seemed like a lifetime to Prue - she had been hiding her secret from Andy, that she and her sisters were witches. Now, as she sat fidgeting nervously, she was trying to work up the courage to tell Andy what she had wanted desperately to tell him for months. Her fear had made her miserable - but a growing sense of despair had left her with the feeling there was nothing left to lose.  
It had all started several months before, when Prue's baby sister Phoebe had returned from New York. That was the night when everything changed. It was the night that the Halliwell sisters had discovered they were witches - true witches, with the power to channel magical energy and cast spells - but more importantly, it seemed as if the estranged sisters had finally put their collective grievances behind them, and had forged themselves into a real family. Or so they thought.  
Two weeks ago - or was it three? Prue couldn't remember; pain had a way of taking one completely out of time - Piper had come home to find Phoebe laying on the floor, injured and nearly hysterical, babbling about having been to another world, and meeting another set of Halliwell sisters.  
Then, to Prue's amazement, Phoebe's story turned out to be true - and Prue had met herself, or, at least another version of herself - six years older, widowed, and a single mother with a beautiful four year old daughter. Distraught and tearful, Phoebe had tried to explain, she needed to stay with this new sister and niece, and share her life with them. And the world changed again.  
In the time since, Prue had put up a good front, getting on with life - she was pragmatic enough to accept things she couldn't change. But this was different. Ever since Phoebe left, Prue now felt as if the bottom had dropped out of the world. She felt strangely empty and hollow. Charmed? What did that mean any more? Did it mean anything at all?  
Prue's other sister Piper, more willing to show her emotions openly, vacillated wildly between seething rage and cloudbursts of tears - but whatever Prue felt, she kept it tightly locked up, as she always did. But now, huge cracks were appearing in Prue's psyche, and she was simply too exhausted and too grief-stricken to keep up the pretense of serenity and control. The only question that remained for her was whether sharing the truth with Andy would drive him away for good. She had surreptitiously attempted to sound him out once before, under the cover of a spell - but, Prue reflected ruefully, spells cast for personal gain had a nasty karmic habit of rebounding on the caster. If she told him now, with no magic between them, would his answer be any different? Prue was feeling such despair at the moment, she was half convinced before this was all over, she was going to be utterly alone, without friends, lovers or even a family. And it was more than she could bear.  
Andy came in from the kitchen, carrying a tray with a coffee urn and two small porcelain mugs. He set the tray down on a low table, poured a cup first for Prue, then one for himself. Prue smiled at him, and took the cup into her hands gratefully.  
"Thanks."  
Andy settled himself down on the sofa beside her, trying as hard as Prue was to appear relaxed and comfortable while feeling anything but. On the other hand, for the first time in weeks, it seemed like Prue was ready to talk; and Andy was more than willing to listen. He sat patiently while Prue sipped her coffee, trying to gather her courage.  
"Andy ..." she began haltingly, "I had made up my mind to tell you everything that's been going on. It's just - honestly, I'm not even sure where to start."  
"Why don't we start with Phoebe," Andy suggested quietly. "Because it's obvious she's on your mind right now."  
Prue sighed deeply, the exhalation ragged and mournful. "Yeah," she admitted. "She is."  
She took one lingering sip from her coffee cup and set it down; she was worried her hands would begin to shake as she spoke.  
"Phoebe's gone. You know that," Prue said quietly. "But the more I think about it, I can't help feeling that I'm responsible for her leaving."  
Prue swallowed hard. _Now I leap off the cliff,_ she thought to herself.  
"Phoebe and I always had our sibling rivalry down pat. When she left for New York, I was, like, 'good riddance'. I had days when I thought I'd be genuinely happy if I never saw her again. And I have to be honest. I had a lot of days when I really was happy that she was gone. That was probably the ugliest our relationship ever got."  
"You guys were always kind of nasty to each other," Andy allowed. "I saw a lot of that, even when we were dating before. More than I wanted to see, actually."  
"Yeah, I'm not terribly proud of that." Prue looked at Andy pleadingly. "Probably didn't make the strongest case for being a desirable girlfriend, did it?"  
"It didn't help."  
"Ouch." Prue grimaced. "Well, thanks for being honest."  
"You didn't come over here today to have me tell you comforting lies, Prue."  
"No. I didn't," Prue admitted, and she sighed again. "When Phoebe came back this last time, though, it really did seem different. We started with our claws out again, especially that first night when she came home, but after a couple of days of that, we just - I don't know. We were done with it. Maybe we'd both grown up - just a little," she smiled ruefully. "We still had our disagreements, but, we didn't just shut each other down like we used to. We talked. We listened to each other. And I was trying, really trying, to not be so critical of her. And it really seemed, at least to me, that we were even kind of liking each other. Or at least not hating each other quite so much."  
Andy gave Prue a bemused look, and she managed a weak grin. "Yeah. I know. Don't go flying off the handle, huh? But it's true. At least, I thought it was."  
"So what do you think happened?"  
"Well, Phoebe's always gone running off, wherever her heart leads her. She's a feeler, not a thinker. But I thought - I hoped," Prue corrected herself, "That we had managed to put some of the resentment and anger behind us. But when she left this time - I had a long, hard look in the mirror. I kept thinking, what kind of good memories did Phoebe and I have of each other? And I had to admit - there wasn't much."  
She took another sip of coffee to compose herself. "I'm not the most supportive person in the world," she allowed. "I mean, empathy's not really my thing. I was hard on Phoebe. Even when she came back, I could have been more welcoming. Or more accepting. Or more - I don't know."  
"Why are you laying this guilt trip on yourself, Prue?" Andy asked pointedly. Prue looked up at him in genuine surprise.  
"Guilt trip?" she repeated numbly.  
"Why is this time different than any other time? I mean, you guys have never really liked each other. And just because you're related to someone doesn't mean you have to like them, or be close to them. You never felt that way before. So what changed?"  
"What changed is -" Prue swallowed hard. "I'm about to open a really, really big can of worms here, Andy."  
"It's fine, Prue."  
"No, I mean it, this is a really big can. Huge."  
"I'm not going anywhere."  
Prue smiled at him gratefully. "Well - before I open the can up all the way - what changed is, Phoebe showed me something. She showed me a side of herself I'd never seen before, something truly amazing. And - she made me aware of a part of myself I didn't even know existed. For the first time in our adult lives, we had something in common. Something we wanted to share with each other. And - I wanted to be with my baby sister. That's what changed. I wanted Phoebe to be around. I suddenly realized, I was happy, because she was home. It wasn't just moving back into Gram's house. It's like we were really sisters, for the first time since we were kids. It was -"  
Prue's cell phone warbled inside her purse, and she forcibly pushed away a moue of irritation.  
"You don't have to answer that," Andy suggested quietly.  
"I just need to see if it's Piper. Anybody else, it's going to voicemail," she promised.  
She dug the chirping device out of her purse and checked the number on the tiny screen.  
"It's Piper," she sighed with exasperation. "I'm sorry, Andy, may I -?"  
"Go ahead."  
Prue flipped open the phone and brought it to her ear. "Hey, Piper, you okay?"  
"Hey, Prue. Look - I'm so sorry about this afternoon - I left the house in a huff, and I forgot my phone -"  
"It's okay, Piper. I just wanted to be sure you were all right."  
"Yeah, well, I'm as all right as I'm going to be, I guess," Piper said morosely. "Anyway - I need to ask a favor."  
"Name it."  
"Leo's back in town, and I was wondering -"  
"Leo's back?"  
"Yeah. And he kind of dropped a bomb on me."  
Prue gave Andy a helpless look. "A bomb? What kind of bomb?"  
"Do you remember that stupid story that Phoebe told us, when Leo left last time?"  
"Uhh - no. Not really."  
"Yeah, I didn't remember it either. But it's true. I don't want to talk about it over the phone. Are you going to be home soon?"  
"Actually, I'm over at Andy's right now -"  
"Are you going to stay there? Overnight?"  
Prue inhaled sharply. "I was - I am - going to tell him all about us," she confessed.  
"You're finally going to tell him you're a witch? Without casting a spell on him first?"  
"Yeah, I guess I really am."  
"Oh, thank God. About time, Prue."  
"You're okay with that?" Prue asked incredulously.  
"Phoebe and I were telling you to do that for weeks, but you never listen to us."  
"No, I don't," Prue admitted, all self-recrimination. "I'm really going to try to change that, Piper, I swear I am."  
"Yeah, well, just don't chicken out this time. It's getting old, Prue."  
"You're right, you're absolutely right," Prue agreed solemnly. "And I won't. I promise I won't."  
"Will you be home tomorrow?"  
"Yes, I will."  
"Do you mind if Leo spends the night here?"  
"Not at all."  
"Okay, then, make your confession, and then get your butt back here first thing in the morning. We have witch bombs and angel bombs and I don't know what the hell else going on, but I'm not gonna deal with this all by myself."  
"You're sure everything's okay?" Prue asked anxiously.  
"As long as you're gonna be back here in the morning, everything's fine," Piper assured her.  
"I will be."  
"In fact - put me on speakerphone for a minute."  
"What?"  
"Just do it, Prue."  
Bemused, Prue did as Piper asked.  
"Hey, Andy," Piper's voice floated out of the tiny speaker.  
"Hey, Piper."  
"Don't let my big sister off the hook, okay? Make her tell you everything. And I mean everything. Because if she doesn't, I will."  
Prue winced involuntarily.  
"Uhh, okay, Piper," Andy agreed, dumbfounded.  
"Okay. Gotta go. Love you both. Prue, I'll see you in the morning."  
"I'll be there," Prue promised. "I love you. Bye."  
Prue snapped the phone shut with great relief. She didn't quite manage to suppress a shudder.  
"Well, that was gruesome," she muttered almost under her breath. She took great care in powering off the phone. "No more calls," she promised.  
"Is everything okay?"  
"Piper's boyfriend Leo is back in town."  
"Oh."  
"Which, actually, is fine, because that means you and I can finally -"  
Andy's service phone began a warbling claxon of its own. Prue and Andy exchanged an aggrieved look.  
"This is a conspiracy, isn't it?" Prue asked sourly.  
"Sure seems like it," Andy agreed. "It's my work phone. Sorry, Prue, I have to take this."  
"If it's anything other than life or death, tell 'em you'll deal with it tomorrow."  
Andy put the phone to his ear. "Hey, Morris. What's - "  
Prue could not hear the conversation on the other end of the line, but Andy's grim expression assured her the news was bad.  
"We'll be right there," he said tersely, and hung up.  
"What is it?"  
"Domestic disturbance call. Officers on the scene are reporting one confirmed murder, and at least one other attempted." He stood up, clipping the phone back to the holster on his belt loop.  
"You have to go, don't you?"  
"We have to go."  
_"We_ do?"  
"Prue - one of the victims is Paige Matthews."

* * *

As they sped through the city toward Paige's apartment, Prue sat nearly frozen in the passenger seat of Andy's sedan, her heart in her throat. Darryl Morris had been unable to give Andy any details as to which of the victims was the fatality - and Prue found herself praying, abjectly, that Paige would be the one still alive.  
As they pulled up to the apartment building, Prue felt another thrill of dread, seeing all the black and white units surrounding the front entrance, their flashing lights nearly blinding her. Andy rolled down his window, flashed his badge to the officer guarding the cordon, and the officer nodded wordlessly, granting them access to the parking garage. Andy pulled his car in the first available space, and gallantly helped Prue exit the side door - she was shaking so badly she could barely stand.  
"You okay?" Andy asked with concern.  
"No," Prue said honestly.  
"Maybe you should wait here," Andy suggested.  
Prue shook her head. "I have to come with you," she said, her voice taut. "If this is what I think it is - I need to be there."  
Andy frowned, not understanding, but he took Prue by the elbow and gently guided her towards the elevators. They stepped into the car and rode in terse silence until they reached the fifth floor. As they exited into the hallway, they could easily see a knot of patrol officers setting up for crime scene investigations only a few feet away. The door frame leading into one of the apartments was shattered as if from a bomb blast. Darryl Morris, Andy's partner, saw them approaching, and hurried over to meet them.  
"One confirmed deceased, one victim still missing," he said to Andy without preamble. "Forced entry into the unit from the outside. One of the neighbors heard the disturbance, and came to help. Cost him his life."  
"Positive ID?"  
"On the neighbor, yeah. Wang Yingjie, 25. Resident of the complex last two years."  
Andy's eyes narrowed. "What is it, Morris?"  
Morris pulled Andy aside, away from Prue.  
"What's she doing here?" he demanded in a fierce whisper.  
"She can give us a positive ID on the Matthews girl."  
"We have to find her first."  
"She's the one who's missing?"  
"We have officers searching the building for her now. Witnesses saw her moments after the attack, apparently injured. Described her as being covered head to toe in blood."  
"Kidnapped by her attacker?"  
"We don't know. One witness said he saw her disappear in a puff of smoke. I think we can discard that testimony."  
Andy felt his stomach tightening into knots. "Anything on the weapon?"  
"Far as anyone knows, there was none."  
"What?"  
"Trudeau -" Morris leaned forward, so his whisper would be heard by Andy alone. "The victim was torn to pieces. I mean that literally. We're still finding parts of him up and down the hallway. There are no lacerations from a blade. He was pulled apart, like taffy."  
Andy suppressed the urge to gag. Prue stepped forward.  
"Darryl, was there a description of the attacker?" she asked.  
"Prue, this is a murder investigation. I can take your statement later."  
"I'm not here to make a statement," Prue said evenly. "Do you have a description?"  
Morris was clearly about to make a retort, when Andy firmly took his arm. "Morris. Answer her question. Please," he said quietly.  
Darryl Morris regarded his partner with suspicion, but he saw Andy was entirely serious.  
"Trudeau, this is going on your report," he warned.  
"Understood. What's the description?"  
"Witnesses describe a large male, accounts ranging from seven to ten feet in height -"  
"Seven to TEN?" Andy asked incredulously.  
"Come on, Trudeau, you know how it is with eyewitness accounts. But all agree, he was huge. Built like a football player. With blue skin. And glowing." Morris grimaced in self-disapproval. "And I can't believe I just said that out loud."  
Prue turned to Andy. "I need to see the inside of the apartment."  
Without waiting for approval from either detective, she quickly crossed the hall, and entered the unit, not yet barricaded by police line tape.  
"Prue? Hey! You can't go in there - that's a crime scene," Morris called out, lunging after her. "HEY!"  
With a wave of her hand, Prue put up a mystical barrier in front of the ruined doorway, fully realizing there would be hell to pay for that little gesture later. The living room in which found herself was almost completely destroyed. Most of the furniture and other furnishings had been shattered into fragments. The room was also spattered with blood. Not large amounts, but enough for Prue to fear the worst.  
Shuddering, Prue closed her eyes and concentrated. There was a strong, unmistakable magical presence lingering in the room - no, not one, but two. And an oppressive sense of malevolence. Prue opened her eyes. Two beings of magic, then. Paige - and her assailant?  
She quickly crossed to the bathroom, which appeared undamaged. She found a hairbrush next to the sink and hastily slipped it into her purse. She returned to the living room and dropped her barrier. Morris rushed in and grabbed her hand.  
"You, OUT, now," he almost shouted, all but dragging her from the room and back into the hallway. Once safely away from the door, he rounded on her. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded.  
"Your assailant is a demon," she said, addressing both men together.  
"Sorry, he's a what?"  
"Andy, Darryl, this is important. This guy you're looking for - your officers can't handle him. If they see him - and trust me, they won't be able to miss him - they need to fall back. Nobody out here has got any weapons that can deal with him."  
Andy and Darryl exchanged dumbfounded glances.  
"I'm serious," Prue protested. "If any of your officers try to arrest him, they'll just end up dead."  
Darryl Morris fixed Prue with his most disapproving stare. "Prue," he said, too quietly, "You need to leave this building, right now."  
"Yes, I do," Prue agreed. "I have to find Paige. And I'm the only one who can." She turned to Andy. "Do me a favor?"  
Andy shrugged helplessly.  
"I know I sound like I've gone completely off the rails, but please, you have to trust me. I can help with this. When you get done here, come over to my house? And bring Darryl - if you can convince him to come. Doesn't matter what time. I'll be up all night."  
"Do you know what's going on, Prue?"  
"I already told you, Andy. We're looking a demon. A demon who will stop at nothing, until he's found and murdered Paige Matthews. And we have to find her, before he does."  
"Why do you think she's still alive?"  
"There's no body."  
Andy Trudeau looked utterly baffled.  
"He has no use for her body," Prue explained. "It's her powers he wants."  
"Powers?"  
"He thinks she's a witch."  
"A witch," Andy repeated dumbly. He shook his head as if to clear it. "So, Paige Matthews is a witch? A real, live, practicing magic witch?"  
"I don't know," Prue said honestly. "But it would explain a lot. Andy, I have to go. Stop by my house as soon as you can."  
Impulsively, she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.  
"I'm so sorry about this," she whispered.  
She hurried over to the elevator and quickly stepped inside, blinking back tears. Relative or not, Prue was certain that Paige was an innocent she was meant to protect - and right now, she was failing utterly in that duty. Adding to that agony was the near certainty that she and Andy had spoken their last kind words to each other - and that their relationship, what remained of it, was likely to be completely shattered by the time this night was over.  
Angrily wiping her face, Prue turned her phone back on, waiting impatiently for the sluggish elevator to descend to the ground floor. She dialed the house and put the phone to her ear.  
"Hey," Piper's voice came over the line. "I wasn't expecting to hear from you again tonight."  
"Piper, we're in trouble," Prue said, her voice shaking. "Big trouble."  
"What is it?"  
"A demon just tried to kill Paige."  
"Oh, my God. Is she all right?"  
"I don't know. She's missing. I'm on my way home. Is Leo with you?"  
"He's right here."  
Prue closed her eyes for a moment, overwhelmed with relief.  
"Piper, this is important. I need you to go up to the attic. Bring the Book of Shadows down into the living room. Set up the altar with the little cauldron - the silver one. And see if we still have any yarrow root left over in the pantry. Don't let Leo leave your side, even for a minute."  
"You think this demon is coming after us?"  
"I think Paige is his first target, but I'm pretty sure we're next on the list. Hurry, Piper. I'll be home as soon as I can."  
"Okay."  
"I love you," Prue added, feeling utterly helpless as she said it. The call ended, the elevator doors opened, and Prue stepped out into the lobby, hot tears streaming down her cheeks. 

* * *

Less than forty minutes later, a taxicab pulled up in front of the Halliwell manor on Prescott street. Prue hastily paid the fare, and all but bolted up the steep steps to the porch. She stepped inside the foyer, breathless, carefully closing the door behind her. Piper hurried out of the kitchen to meet her, Leo close at her heels. Prue couldn't help it; she pulled her sister close into a tight hug, choking back a sob.  
"Prue, are you all right?" Piper asked, alarmed.  
"Sorry, sorry," Prue mumbled, reluctantly releasing her sister and wiping her eyes. "It's been a really shitty night. And it's probably going to get a lot worse."  
"What can I do to help?" Leo asked quietly.  
"He knows about us, Prue," Piper added quickly, with a moue of embarrassment. "That we're witches. Charmed Ones."  
Prue froze in mid-step. "Does EVERYBODY know about us?" she cried in dismay.  
"Prue, he can help. He's a White Lighter - a guardian angel for witches."  
"A guardian angel."  
"He's helped us before - we just didn't know it."  
Prue shook her head in aggravation. "This night just keeps getting better and better." She looked over at Leo. "If you really want to help, Leo, don't let my sister out of your sight."  
"Got it covered," Leo nodded in solemn agreement.  
Prue finished hanging up her coat, then hurried into the kitchen, frantically pulling out bottles from the pantry shelves.  
"Prue, if there's a demon after us, how are we going to stop him, without Phoebe?" Piper asked, a little catch of fright in her voice.  
Prue shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, Piper. We'll have to think of something. Where are the damn cloves?" she asked angrily, rummaging through the shelves.  
"Out on the counter," Piper told her. Prue brought several bottles of herbs over to the butcher block table and set them down: lemon grass, sage, rosemary, lavender and a large box of sea salts.  
"What are you doing?" Piper asked, curious.  
"We need to cast two spells, right away," Prue answered, getting out a large mixing bowl and dumping a half of a cup of sea salt into the bottom. She began opening the bottles and sprinkling small amounts of the herbs over the top of the salt. "The first one is a protection spell - to put a magical barrier around the house."  
"Will that stop a demon?" Piper asked.  
"I doubt it," Prue said, not looking up, "But it should slow him down. Piper, get some rosemary, yarrow root, a sprig of holly, and some cypress needles, and take them into the living room - but don't put them in the cauldron yet."  
"How the hell can you even remember all this stuff?" Piper demanded incredulously.  
"Because I'm scared out of my wits," Prue said tersely. "Helps me focus. Leo, if you really want to help, stick around. I'll have a task for you in just a minute."  
"Just tell me what I need to do."  
Prue quickly mixed the herbs and salt with a wooden pestle, then took up the bowl in her arms. "Let's go into the atrium for a minute."  
They quickly walked into the atrium, and Prue settled herself into one of the chairs, placing the bowl on a low table in front of her. With visible effort, she calmed herself, taking in deep breaths and exhaling slowly, then she closed her eyes and steepled her hands as if in prayer. After a moment, she placed the palms of her hands downward over the rim of the bowl and began a short recitation, half-spoken, half-sung. The mixture in the bowl began to glow as if radiating its own light, then the glow faded. Prue opened her eyes and managed a smile, satisfied.  
"There. That should do it."  
Leo grinned appreciatively at Prue. "I didn't know you spoke Latin. That's a very old prayer."  
"The old prayers still tend to be the most powerful," Prue said, standing up and handing the bowl to Leo. She regarded him with newfound approval. "I didn't know you understood Latin."  
Leo's grin turned rueful. "We're learning a lot about each other tonight."  
"You're not kidding. Okay, guardian angel, what I need you to do is take this stuff, and sprinkle a little bit in front of every doorway and every windowsill - even up in the attic."  
"Got it."  
"Just a little pinch will do. This stuff will go a long way. Once you've covered every entrance, leave the bowl on the sideboard, near the front door, and then join us in the living room. Oh, and if you find any windows open, even a crack, close them, please?"  
"Be right back." Leo hurried away, intent upon his task.  
"Piper, do we have any sandalwood incense left?" Prue called out, as she returned to the kitchen.  
"Check the downstairs bathroom," Piper's voice floated back from over in the living room.  
Prue checked in the medicine chest, found the incense package, shook out two sticks and brought them to the kitchen, where she placed them in a small oblong urn, along with a pinch of lemongrass and sage. She lit the end of the first stick and took the urn into the living room, letting the smoke waft gently behind her as she made a careful circuit around the space, before finally placing the urn on the mantelpiece.  
Piper crinkled up her nose at the smell. "Do we really need to leave that in here?"  
"Trust me, Piper - we really do."  
"Okay, I've got all the ingredients. Now, what?"  
"Hang on." Prue scampered into the hallway, and returned a few moments later with her purse. She dug out Paige's hairbrush and set it beside the shallow silver bowl.  
Piper frowned, remembering. "Wait - we're doing the 'call a lost witch' spell?"  
"That's right."  
"But isn't that only for, uhh, dead people?"  
"Living or dead," Prue assured her. "In this case, we'll use the hair from Paige's brush to help direct the spell. And as we add each of the ingredients to the cauldron, we'll speak her name aloud."  
"And then she'll just appear out of thin air?"  
"This is magic, Piper." She looked askance at her sister. "What, calling Melinda Warren wasn't weird enough for you?"  
"Oh, trust me, this more than weird enough," Piper retorted. "I just didn't think it would work on a living person, that's all."  
"I'm praying with all my heart that Paige is still alive," Prue said grimly.  
"Prue. What if - " Piper hesitated. "What if Paige isn't a witch? Or what if she's not related to us at all?"  
"Then we'll scry for her, using strands of her hair wound around the crystal pointer."  
"You think of everything," Piper shook her head, marveling in genuine appreciation at her sister's planning.  
"I really don't," Prue said ruefully, and then she smiled. "But thanks for the vote of confidence."  
Leo shuffled into the room, still cradling the mixing bowl in one arm. He pulled the curtains aside and sprinkled the mixture lightly over the windowsills. The grains of salt sparkled with light as they fell, then faded as they made contact with the surface.  
"Damn pixie dust," Piper muttered.  
"Hey, Prue?" Leo called out, looking out the window. "I think you have company."  
"Company?"  
Prue joined Leo at the window and looked out. Although it was now quite dark outside, under the street lamp Prue could easily see Andy Trudeau and Darryl Morris coming up the sidewalk. She sighed visibly with relief.  
"Leo, have you covered the front door yet?"  
"No, I was saving that for last."  
"Don't worry," she said, taking the bowl from him. "I'll get that. Oh, and by the way -" she took a small pinch of the mixture and flicked it, so the salt grains scattered over his head and shoulders. He wrinkled up his nose and nearly sneezed.  
"Sorry about that," she said, grinning at his discomfiture. "Just marking you as a friend of the house. That way you'll be able to come and go as you please."  
Leo gave her a grateful smile in return. "Thanks."  
Prue went into the hallway and carefully sprinkled a small amount of the salt mixture just in front of the front door. Then she opened the door, and waited as the two men came up the steps.  
"Andy. Darryl. Thank you so much for coming," she greeted them as they arrived on the porch.  
"We're here on police business, Prue," Andy said somberly.  
"I know." She took a small pinch of the salt mixture, and flicked some first at Andy, then at Darryl. She smiled sweetly. "Please come in."  
"What was that for?" Andy asked, more perplexed than annoyed.  
"To protect you," Prue said matter-of-factly, shutting the door as the men entered. She set the bowl on the sideboard. "Is there any word on Paige?"  
"Not yet."  
"Please come into the living room."  
They walked into the room together. "Andy, Darryl, this is Piper's boyfriend, Leo," Prue made introductions.  
"Nice to meet you," Andy said tersely, all business. "Prue, I'm afraid Inspector Morris and I need to speak to you privately."  
Morris was more blunt. "The boyfriend needs to leave."  
Leo looked over to Prue for direction, and she shook her head. "No. There won't be any secrets in this house," she said quietly. "Not any more."  
She took in a deep breath, and looked at Andy with obvious tenderness. "The irony of all this is, I've been trying so hard to keep everything a secret from you," she said, with a slight catch in her voice. "And now, I'm going to have to reveal myself in the most public way possible. I can't hide any more. So I've chosen to trust you - all of you. Andy, Darryl, Leo - please understand, what I'm about to say to you - what I'm about to show you - means I'm putting my life into your hands. And not just mine. It's Piper's life too, and probably Paige's."  
Prue cast a sidelong glance at her sister. Piper wasn't smiling, but she nodded her solemn approval.  
"Please, everyone, won't you sit down?"  
Prue could see that Darryl was about to object. "Please, Darryl. Give me ten minutes. Hear me out. I'm asking you as a friend. What I'm about to say could save Paige's life."  
Darryl glowered at her for a long minute, pursing his lips. Then silently, he settled himself into one of the upholstered chairs, consenting but not approving. Leo and Andy followed suit. Prue sighed with immense relief. Piper sat on the couch, beside the altar, but Prue decided - for the moment - to remain standing.  
"Andy - I know you've had lots of questions about me lately," she began, her voice shaking slightly. "I think it probably started a few months ago, when you found me and my sisters outside that warehouse where Stefan was holed up."  
"You know something about that guy?" Darryl asked, an unmistakable edge in his voice.  
"Yes. I do," Prue said flatly. "And - at a rough guess - there's probably about a half-dozen other unsolved cases on the San Francisco police books that my sisters and I have been directly involved in, that we never told you about."  
"What?!"  
She held up a hand, pleading for patience. "I'm sorry, Darryl, Andy. I don't have time to do this the right way. An innocent girl's life is in danger, and the longer we dither, the less chance we have of finding her alive. Just - bear with me. Please."  
Prue closed her eyes for just a moment. _Give me strength,_ she prayed.  
"I am a witch," she confessed aloud. "My sisters are witches. We can control and manipulate magical energy. We can cast spells. We can bind curses. We can converse with spirits. But most importantly, when innocent people are threatened, we can vanquish demons. I know what I just said sounds utterly ridiculous. But it's all true, and I can prove it."  
Prue looked first to Andy, then to Darryl, to gauge their reactions. She cringed inwardly as both men were giving her the look she desperately hoped they wouldn't be giving her - the one that said, _you've completely lost your mind._ She moved over to the couch, so that she was standing beside where Piper was sitting.  
"Right now, out there somewhere, Paige Matthews is being threatened by one of these demons. And we have to find her. All I'm asking is for you to give me and my sister ten minutes' grace. And I pray with all my heart, when that ten minutes is up, we will find Paige safe and sound. Please. Give us that chance. Give _me_ that chance."  
Andy and Darryl exchanged dubious glances, but neither spoke. Prue settled herself down on the couch beside her sister, and gave her a pleading look. Slowly, the corners of Piper's mouth turned up in an approving smile. Her look communicated her unspoken words: _I am so very proud of you._  
"Are you ready for this?" Prue asked Piper.  
Piper nodded solemnly. "Let's do it."  
Prue took up a small piece of the yarrow root, and wound a strand of Paige's flame-red hair around it.  
"Paige Matthews," she murmured softly, letting the root and hair touch the metal at the bottom of the bowl. "Sister, we summon thee."  
Piper took up several cypress needles, and as Prue had done, wound a strand of hair around them in a loose bundle.  
"Paige Matthews, sister, we summon thee," she echoed, placing her offering into the bowl.  
Prue took up a small pinch of ground rosemary leaves and another strand of hair. "Paige Matthews, sister, we summon thee."  
Piper took up the small sprig of holly, wound another strand of hair around it, and placed it in the bowl. "Paige Matthews, sister, we summon thee."  
Prue took up her small silver athame - barely larger than a paring knife - and, holding her left hand over the bowl, pricked her left index finger. A fat drop of blood welled at the fingertip. Prue pinched the finger gently, and one drop of blood - then another - spilled into the bowl.  
"Paige Matthews, blood of our blood, we summon thee."  
She handed the knife to Piper, who repeated the action and the prayer. Then the sisters clasped their bleeding hands over the bowl. Curlicues of smoke began to rise from where the coppery-red blood struck the surface of the silver metal.  
"Power of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies," the sisters chanted softly in unison. "Come to us, who call you near. Come to us, and settle here. Blood to blood, we summon thee. Blood to blood, return to me."  
From out of nowhere, a gentle breeze began to stir within the room, and heavy tendrils of smoke spilled out over the edges of the silver bowl, slowly spreading across the low table. Andy and Darryl looked at each other in dumbfounded amazement. Darryl gripped the arms of his chair so tightly, his fingernails paled from lack of blood.  
The breeze picked up, becoming a wind. Leo simply watched, as if he had expected it; but the other two men were growing vaguely alarmed. In the center of the room, a bright light appeared from nowhere, growing in intensity along with the rushing wind, and then, suddenly, light and wind were both gone, and standing there, shaking uncontrollably, disheveled, weeping and covered in blood and dirt, was Paige Matthews - terrified, injured, but very much alive.  
Prue sprang from her seat and gathered the girl in her arms. As Paige fell against Prue, she began to sob piteously.  
"It's all right," Prue murmured, closing her eyes and hugging Paige tightly, as tears of her own spilled down her cheeks. "I've got you. I've got you. You're safe now. You're safe."  
"What the hell was _that?"_ Darryl Morris asked, in complete unbelieving agitation.  
Andy Trudeau shook his head, a wide, incredulous grin plastered across his face. "A miracle," he marveled.  
"No," said Prudence Halliwell, still weeping but smiling happily. _"That_ was magic."

* * *

The next few minutes were hectic, as everyone's focus circled around Paige Matthews. She was gibbering with fright and exhibiting borderline hysteria, so Piper and Leo gently but firmly removed her from Andy and Darryl's well-meaning interrogations, and took her upstairs to get cleaned up. Prue none too subtly pushed the detectives into the kitchen, where she brewed a carafe of coffee, as well as a mug of chamomile tea for herself. Andy and Darryl settled in at the barstools on the end of the butcher-block island.  
"So, you're telling me you and your sisters know what happened with all these unsolved cases?" Darryl demanded, as he took the coffee cup offered by Prue.  
"I'm not involved in every case going through your precinct, Darryl," Prue answered evenly. "But yeah, there have been several cases where my sisters and I took care of the demon responsible - and nobody knows."  
"So - that guy Stefan - "  
"A demon named Javna."  
"And where is he now?"  
"In Hell. Where he belongs."  
"And the murders at the Spencer estate?"  
"A demon named Hecate. Look, I know this is a lot to take in -"  
"Take in?" Darryl's voice was rising in pitch to match his anger. "Lady, do you even know what the word 'perjury' means? Or how about the phrase, obstruction of justice? Or -"  
Andy halted him with a calming hand on his shoulder. "Morris. Relax," he said quietly.  
"I'm sorry, I really am," Prue assured them both. "But if I had told you, up front, that these murders were committed by demons, and that my sisters and I were responsible for sending these monsters back to Hell - what would you have said?"  
"We'd have sent you for a psych evaluation," Andy admitted.  
"Andy, Darryl, please, I swim in this world, and it's weird enough for me," Prue pleaded. "I can't even imagine what you must be thinking right now."  
"Honestly, Prue?" Darryl said. "I don't know what to think."  
"Well, now that I'm 'outed', I need to ask a favor."  
"What kind of favor?" Andy asked.  
"Please don't tell anyone about me and Piper. We don't need for the rest of the world to know we're witches."  
She could see Andy was about to object, so Prue added quickly: "Please, Andy. I'm begging you. You too, Darryl. This is important. The fewer people who know about us, the safer all of us will be. And by 'us', I'm including the two of you."  
"So, what are you expecting us to do, Prue? Say nothing at all?" Darryl asked somberly.  
"Look - let me offer this. Let's go over your case books. If my sisters and I had anything to do with any of your unsolved cases, I'll give you full disclosure - everything I know. I owe you that much. I honestly don't know if you're going to be able to close any of those cases based on my depositions, but I can at least tell you what really happened."  
"And then what?"  
"It's like I said," Prue said quietly. "My life's in your hands."  
Andy and Darryl exchanged a look.  
"We won't say anything - for now," Andy said at last.  
Prue sighed with genuine relief. "Thank you, Andy. Thank you, Darryl."  
"But yeah - I think we will take you up on your offer. There are a lot of unsolved murders in our files that need answers."  
"In the meantime, the Matthews girl needs to go into witness protection - if not the hospital," Darryl added.  
"She won't," said Piper, walking into the kitchen. Uncharacteristically, she poured herself a cup of coffee and took a long swig.  
"What do you mean?" Darryl frowned. "That girl was all but cut to ribbons."  
"She's fine."  
"Oh, that's just -"  
"No, really. She's fine. Not a scratch on her."  
Prue frowned in suspicion. "Piper? What's going on?"  
Piper made an uneasy glance at the detectives.  
"It's all right," Prue assured her. "They're not carting us off to jail. At least, not yet."  
"Oh. Well, that's nice of you guys."  
"Piper." Prue called her to attention. "What's going on with Paige?"  
"Well, it turns out -" Piper took another swig from her coffee cup - "Our guardian angel is also a healer. And I don't mean a medic. He just laid her out on the bed, put his hands over her, like this -" Piper demonstrated with her open palms - "And - this light just came out of his hands, and all her wounds closed up, like they were never there."  
"You're serious."  
"Go see for yourself, Prue. I saw it with my own eyes, and I still don't believe it."  
"So, this guy Leo - is he also a witch?" Darryl asked.  
"He's a guardian angel," Piper assured him. "A real one. Sent from -" she jerked a thumb upwards, in the direction of the ceiling. "And please don't ask me to explain that. I can't."  
"Where is Paige now?" Prue asked.  
"Well, we threw her in the tub, to clean her up. I just now put her to bed in Phoebe's room. I'm going to take her some warm milk and a mild sedative."  
"Has she said anything?" Andy asked.  
"Not a peep. Maybe after she's had some rest, we can ask her what happened."  
"Can we leave her here?" Andy asked Darryl.  
"She has no other family, and nowhere else to stay," Prue added, as Darryl mulled over his reply. "She can stay with us, until we can figure something else out."  
She glanced at Piper, who nodded her assent.  
"Fine. But I want this house staked out," Darryl gave in, unable to find a counter argument for the inexplicable. "This nut job is still on the loose, and the Matthews girl is still a target."  
"Yes, and so are we," Prue sighed somberly.  
"I'll stay tonight," Andy Trudeau volunteered. He cast a quick glance at Prue. "That is - if you don't mind."  
"I'd be grateful, Andy."  
Prue then gave Darryl her sweetest smile. "Are we agreed, Darryl? Andy and Leo will watch over us tonight, and in the morning, you can stop by - and we'll see if we can get some answers."  
Darryl Morris clearly didn't approve, but he knew there was nothing else to be said. "I'm going to have two black and whites parked at either end of the street," he sighed, capitulating.  
"Thank you, Darryl."  
About an hour later, Darryl Morris left the house, and Piper and Leo returned upstairs to keep watch over Paige. Prue and Andy settled in together on the living room couch.  
"Hell of a night," Andy yawned.  
"You're not kidding. What time is it, anyway?"  
"Just after two."  
"Ugh. No wonder I'm exhausted."  
"So - this demon that's after Paige -"  
"You know as much as I do, Andy," Prue sighed. "Hopefully, we can talk to Paige tomorrow, and get enough of a description that Piper and I can determine who or what this demon is. Then we can figure out how to deal with him. For now, let's just call it a night. Please?"  
"Yeah. You're right. I can sleep down here, on the sofa," Andy suggested.  
"You could," Prue nodded slowly. "But - you're welcome to spend the night in a real bed." She looked at him hopefully. Andy smiled at her, and his smile was tinged with sadness.  
"I can't even begin to imagine what it's cost you, to reveal your secret to us tonight," he said somberly. "I'm so sorry, Prue. I really had no idea."  
"Not what you expected, huh?"  
"I suspected a great many things," Andy admitted. "But suspicion isn't proof. Still, I'm glad you told me."  
"Are you - okay with that?" Prue asked, unable to keep the anxiety out of her voice.  
"Honestly, Prue? I have to side with Morris on this one. I really don't know what to think."  
Prue mulled that over.  
"Stay with me tonight," she said softly. "Please."  
She reached for his hand and squeezed it gently.  
"Whatever else is going on, no matter how weird things get - right now, I need you, Andy."  
After a moment's hesitation, Andy leaned in and kissed Prue lightly on the lips.  
"You know I would do anything for you," he said softly.  
Prue returned his kiss, longer, lingering, more ardent.  
"Let's go to bed," she whispered huskily.  
She took his hand, and led him up the stairs.

In Phoebe's bedroom, Paige Matthews was tossing and turning, in the grip of a horrid nightmare. The demon had who attacked her was standing over her, laughing.  
"How can you be here?" Paige demanded.  
"You're dreaming, little one," the demon cackled. "I can visit you in your dreams."  
"You can't hurt me if I'm asleep," Paige protested, but there was no confidence in her voice.  
The demon seemed genuinely amused. "Is that so," he said, with a malevolent grin.  
"Please, leave me alone," Paige whimpered piteously.  
"If you surrender your powers, I will let you live."  
"Powers? What powers? What are talking about?"  
"If you are no longer Charmed, then you and your sisters are no threat to my master."  
Paige shook her head, not understanding. "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have any sisters. I'm adopted."  
"Really. That sounds like a lie to me." He smiled. "I know where you are," he sang tauntingly.  
"What ARE you?" Paige demanded.  
The demon's lips peeled back in an ugly sneer, baring his fanged teeth.  
"The End," said Shax, lunging for her.

**Author's Note:**

> Canonical credits: the "Calling a Lost Witch" spell used by Prue and Piper in this story is a combination of the "Blood to Blood" spell seen in "The Witch is Back" by Sheryl J. Anderson, and the "Call A Lost Witch" spell from "Charmed Again", written by Brad Kern. The character "Shax" first appears in the story "All Hell Breaks Loose", also written by Brad Kern.


End file.
